2010
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Divecha
An Indian surname indicating a person from the trading community.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 177 Americans carry the last name Divecha. That puts it at #119,015 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,936,465 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Divecha surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
177
1 in 1,936,465
Census rank
#119,015
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
154
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 154 bearers of the surname Divecha in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 119015th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Divecha, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.3%. The next largest groups are White (14.9%) and Two or More Races (6.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Divecha
The surname DIVECHA is believed to have originated from the Indian subcontinent, specifically from the western state of Gujarat. It is thought to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Divi," which means "island" or "heaven," combined with the word "Vecha," which translates to "trader" or "merchant."
This surname is associated with the Vaishnava community, a Hindu sect that worships Lord Vishnu. The Divecha community historically worked as traders, moneylenders, and merchants, and their name likely reflects their profession and association with maritime trade across the Indian Ocean.
The earliest known records of the surname DIVECHA can be traced back to the 16th century, when the Portuguese established trading posts along the western coast of India. Some historical accounts mention Divecha merchants facilitating trade between Portuguese traders and local communities.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname DIVECHA was Shantidas Divecha, a prominent merchant and philanthropist who lived in the 17th century. He is credited with establishing several educational institutions and temples in the city of Surat, which was a major trading hub during that era.
Another notable figure was Manilal Divecha, born in 1861, who was a successful businessman and a prominent leader of the Indian independence movement. He actively supported Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent resistance against British rule and played a significant role in the Quit India Movement.
In the 20th century, Narottam Divecha (1919-2002) was a renowned industrialist and philanthropist. He founded the Divecha Group of Companies, which diversified into various sectors, including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and real estate.
Ramesh Divecha (1934-2021) was a distinguished Indian cricket administrator and former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He played a crucial role in the development and promotion of cricket in India during his tenure.
Another notable figure is Jayantilal Divecha (1903-1986), who was a pioneering Indian banker and financial expert. He served as the chairman of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from 1977 to 1983 and played a pivotal role in shaping India's financial policies during his tenure.
While the DIVECHA surname has its roots in India, it has now spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this name residing in various countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and other parts of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Divecha
Among Census respondents with the surname Divecha, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.3%. The next largest groups are White (14.9%) and Two or More Races (6.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Divecha bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Divecha surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander77.3% · 119
- White14.9% · 23
- Two or more races6.5% · 10
- Black or African American0.6% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Divecha
Divecha appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#119,015
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 154
+35 bearers (+29.4%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 21,142 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #119,015 | 154 | 0.05 | +35 bearers (+29.4%) | Up 21,142 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Divecha surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #140,157 | #119,015 | 15.1% |
| Count | 119 | 154 | 29.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 28.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Divecha bearers went from 119 to 154 (+29.4% change). The surname moved up 21,142 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #119,015.
FAQ
Divecha surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Divecha?
Name Census estimates that about 177 living Americans carry the surname Divecha. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,936,465 residents.
How common is Divecha?
Divecha ranks #119,015 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 154 people with the surname Divecha. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (177), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Divecha.
Has Divecha become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Divecha went from 119 recorded bearers to 154. That is an increase of 35 (+29.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #140,157 to #119,015.
What does the Census say about the background of Divecha?
Among Census respondents with the surname Divecha, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 77.3%. The next largest groups are White (14.9%) and Two or More Races (6.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Divecha in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.3% (119 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Divecha appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (77.3%), White (14.9%), Two or More Races (6.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Divecha (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Divecha mean?
An Indian surname indicating a person from the trading community. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Divecha (0.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Divecha?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.